Player piano with radio-controlled projection of lyrics

ABSTRACT

A coin-controlled player piano is provided with a radiocontrolled projection of lyrics therefor. Control circuit means are provided which operate completely independently from the piano roll of the player piano for actuating a slide projector in synchronism with the musical composition being played by the player piano.

United States Patent I19] Gitchel 1 Sept. 4, 1973 [54] PLAYER PIANO WITH3,177,767 4/1965 Templeman 353/15 RADIO CONTROLLED PROJECTION OF3,447,864 6/1969 Shadley 353/15 LYRICS 3,490,328 1/1970 King 84/464 [76]lnventor: Clinton L. Gitchel, 0-9815 Kenowa H Grand Rapids, Mich-Primary ExaminerLouis R. Prince [22] Filed: 14 1971 AssistantE raminerA. .l. Mirabito Appl. No.: 207,820

Related us. Application Data Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 884,597,Dec. 12,

1969, abandoned.

US. Cl 353/15, 84/464, 353/122 Int. Cl. G03b 31/00 Field of Search353/15, 18, 122,

Attorney-WfireriN. Low and Richard P. Matthews et al.

571 ABSTRACT A coin-controlled player piano is provided with aradiocontrolled projection of lyrics therefor. Control circuit means areprovided which operate completely independently from the piano roll ofthe player piano for actuating a slide projector in synchronism with themusical composition being played by the player piano.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Pmmcn SHEEI 1 OF 2 Piano Controls l |m|tSwutch Piono Motor 28 Rad o Rodio Projector I T 1 T n R SequenceProjector ronsmt ter 2 Control PLAYER PIANO WITH RADIO-CONTROLLEDPROJECTION OF LYRICS This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser.No. 884,597, filed Dec. l2, I969, now abandoned. This invention relatesto an apparatus to be used in connection with a player piano and, moreparticularly, to an apparatus for presenting an image of lyrics to amusical composition in synchronism with the playing of that musicalcomposition by a player piano.

It has become popular in recent times to engage in what is termed asingalong" wherein groups of people gather together to join in onthe'singing of musical compositions. Whenever the words to the musicalcomposition are not too well known, it becomes a problem to be sure thateach participant is provided with the words to the song by one means oranother.

While the musical instrument may vary, the present invention is intendedfor use with a player piano wherein a preset order of songs is arrangedand wherein the playing thereof is consecutive on demand. The inventionis especially useful in connection with the coinoperated player pianowhich may be used in public or commercial establishments.

The player piano itself, for purposes of the invention, may be deemed tobe standard and be provided with piano controls and a player pianomotor. Such a player piano is further provided with a radio transmitterwhich is activated concurrently with theplayer piano motor. The radiotransmitter sends a signal to a radio receiver which is connected to acontrol circuit means which in turn controls a projector by means ofwhichan image of at least a portion of the lyrics of a song being playedon the player piano is projected onto a screen.

The control circuit means includes switch means carried by the projectorfor deenergizing the projector, means for determining the number ofmusical compositions to be played, means to change the direction ofrotation of the projector means, and suitable time delay means to ensurethat an adequate amount of time is available for projection of theimages onto the screen and to effect a resetting of the projector means.While it is presently preferred to display an image of lyrics for anentire musical composition for each such composition being played, it iswithin the contemplation of this invention that an image of only aportion of a musical composition may be presented on the screen at agiven time.

The inherent advantages and improvements of the present invention willbecome more readily apparent upon considering the following detaileddescription of the invention and by reference to the drawings in which:FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the player piano, the projector andthe screen;

FIG. 2 is a one line diagram of the controls for the player piano andfor the projector; and,

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the projector sequence controlillustrated in FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a player piano is indicatedgenerally at 10. The player piano 10 is coin-operated which facilitatesits use in public or commercial establishments. The player piano 10 hasa music roll 13 mounted thereon which, for purposes of this invention,has two or more songs or musical compositions contained thereon. Aprojector means is indicated at 12 which is suitably mounted forilluminating a screen 14 with an image of the lyrics to the particularmusical composition being played by player piano 10.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a coin controlledmechanism 15 which is used to actuate the piano controls 16 and therebystart and stop piano motor 18. The coin controlled mechanism 15 is ofthe type wherein the presence of a coin of proper denomination in a slotcompletes an electrical circuit and thereby actuates piano controls 16.After imparting this start signal, the coin in the coin controlledmechanism 15 is released from its slot and is received in a coin box. Ifanother coin of proper denomination has been deposited in the coin slotprior to the completion of the musical composition being played it thenfalls by gravity into position for completing the electrical circuit andthereby re-actuates the piano controls 16 which, in turn, re-startspiano motor 18.

Each time piano motor 18 is started, a radio transmitter 20 transmits apulse by suitable means such as by power line 22 to a radio receiver 24.The pulse is confined to the power line 22 and travels within thebuilding within which the player piano 10 is placed. Radio transmitter20 is preferably mounted within the player piano l0 and radio receiver24 is preferably positioned in the vicinity of projector 12. The radioreceiver 24 is provided with means for controlling a projector sequencecontrol 26 constituting control circuit means which serves to start andstop the projector 12 in synchronism with the musical composition beingplayed by piano 10. The assembly carries a limit switch 28 which, ifdesired, may be mounted on the projector itself so a to deactivate theprojector 12.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown the schematic diagram by meansof which the projector sequence control 26 which is preferably mountedwithin the projector 12 as is indicated by the dash lines in FIG. 3. AnR.F. relay 30 which is part of the radio receiver 24 controls theposition of a normally closed switch 32 and a normally open switch 34.One side of normally open switch 34 is connected to a time delay means36 having an internal heater filament and a normally closed contact. Asuitable voltage, such as l 10 volts at cycles per second, is impressedbetween leads 38 and 40.

Numeral 42 designates a step relay means which is provided with astepping contact 44. Step relay means 42 controls switch 46 which isconnected between lines 48 and 50 which are respectively the common andthe forward-reverse lines for the projector 12. Interposed between thestepping contact 44 and one sideof normally closed switch 32 is a timedelay means 52 which contains a heater filament and a normally opencontact.

A selector switch 54 is manually positionable in engagement with one ofa series of positions 56 each f which represents a step for the steprelay means 42. The setting of selector switch 54 determines the maximumnumber of selections which are played consecutively by the player piano10 before the projector 12 is reset and deenergized. Thus, if the musicroll 13 contains four musical compositions and if the lyrics for anentire musical composition is contained on each slide, selector switch54 is set to achieve coincidence of stepping contact 44'with theselector switch 54 after four musical compositions have been played. Onthe other hand, if music roll 13 contains six musical compositions andagain assuming that the lyrics for an entire musical composition arecontained on each slide, selector switch 54 is manually set twoadditional steps beyond the previous setting whereby coincidence ofstepping contact 44 with the selector switch 54 is made after sixmusical compositions have been played. From the foregoing, it will beapparent that the selector switch 54 and step relay means 42 constitutea counting means in the control circuit for counting the maximum numberof musical compositions that have been played. It is impractical todevise a means for playing musical compositions out of order, so thatthe musical compositions are played consecutively in the order in whichthey appear on music roll 13. After all the musical compositions on agiven music roll 13 have been played, the music roll 13 is rewoundautomatically by conventional means therefor separate from the projectormeans.

A conductor lead 57 interconnects the normally open contact of the timedelay means 52 with a relay 58 which functions to cancel the step relay42 whenever the stepping contact 44 reaches the position 56 at which theselector switch 54 is manually positioned. Relay 58 controls switchcontacts 60 and 62 which are across the common and projector cycle andacross the common and forward-reverse lines respectively for projector12.

Numeral 64 generally designates a holding relay which controls theposition of holding contact 66, a bypass to the projector contact 68,and a normally closed contact to which leads to the projector lamp ofprojector 12. Contact 70 opens to prevent illumination of screen 14 whenthe projector is run in a reverse direction. In series with the holdingrelay 64 is a normally open limit switch 28 carried by projector 12.Limit switch 28 is ganged to normally open switch 72 between the commonand forward-reverse lines for projector 12.

In operation, selector switch 54 is manually positioned in contact witha selected position 56 of the step relay means 42 so as to permit thedisplay of the associated slides for a particular music roll 13 onplayer piano 10. The position in FIG. 3 illustrates the position of theprojector sequence control means 26 in the off position. When a coin isreceived in the slot of the coin controlled mechanism l an electricalcircuit is completed to actuate piano controls 16 and thereby startpiano motor 18. This start function causes radio transmitter 20 toproduce a'pulse which is received by radio receiver 24 to activate theRF. relay 30 therein. This effects an opening of the normally closedswitch 32 and the closing of the normally open switch 34. The time delaymeans 36, which is preferably a thermal time delay means, permitscurrent to flow through its normully closed contact and through steprelay means 42 whereby the stepping contact 44 advances one position.Actuation of step relay 42 also closes the normally open contact 46completing the circuit between the common and the projector cyclewhereby the projector runs for one cycle withdrawing a previous slideand in-' serting a new slide in the projector means and displaying animage of at least a portion of the lyrics ofa musi-. cal compositionbeing played by the player piano 10. It is preferred that the lyrics foran entire musical composition be displayed at one time on screen 14although it is possible to effect this projection of an image of thelyrics sequentially and fragmentarily. An advance of one step in thestepping contact 44 of the step relay means 42 will not establishcontact with the selector switch 54 for the position shown in FIG. 3wherein time delay means 52, which also is preferably a thermal timedelay means, will not be actuated.

The time delay means 36 is used to ensure that step relay means 42 isenergized and switch 46 is closed thereby starting the projector cycle.Thereafter, the time delay means 36 is effective to open the normallyclosed contact therein interrupting the flow through coil 42. Alsoswitch 46 opens whereby only a single slide is fed into the projectormeans.

Each time another coin is received in the slot of the coin controlledmechanism 15 so as to complete an electrical circuit therein a startsignal is received by the piano controls 16 which effectively counts thenumber of musical compositions which have been played and ultimatelyresults in the stepping contact 44 of the step relay means 42 advancingtoward the manually preset position of the selector switch 54. When thestepping contact 44 reaches the preset position of the selector switch54, the time delay 52 with its normally open contact is activated duringthe next piano off cycle and with the closing of the contact currentflows through reset relay 58 which resets step relay 42 and closesswitch contacts 60 and 62 and results in a running of the projector inthe reverse direction, namely, toward its start position.

Simultaneously with the actuation of reset relay 58, holding relay 64 isactuated through the normally closed limit switch 28 thereby closingnormally open contacts 66 and 68 and opening normally closed contact 70.After the built-in time delay for the time delay 52 has expired, itscontact resumes its normally open position. However, a holding circuitis established through reset relay 58 and holding contact 66 wherebycurrent continues to flow through relay 58 causing the switch contacts60 and 62 to remain closed and causing the projector to continue to runtoward the start position for the projector even after the contact fortime delay 52 opens.

When the projector reaches its start position, the limit switch 28(FIGS. 2 and 3) carried by the projector is opened stopping theprojector and resulting in a closing of normally open switch 72 by meansof which the direction of travel for the projector is reversed.Therefore, the projector will once again run in the forward directionupon receiving a signal from the R.-F. relay 30 of the radio receivercausing switch 46 to be closed through the intermediary of switchingcontacts 32 and 34 and time delay means 36.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the projection means of thepresent invention are controlled completely independently from anyadditions or control signals placed upon the piano roll itself. Ifdesired or necessary, a plurality of step relays can be connected inseries to increase the number of slides handled by the projector.

It will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be madein the application disclosed herein without departing from the spiritand scope of the claims which follow:

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a player piano for playing a plurality of musicalcompositions which are played consecutively, said player piano havingpiano controls and a piano motor, the apparatus comprising:

a. a coin controlled mechanism for actuating the piano controls and thepiano motor at the beginning of each musical composition,

b. a radio transmitter activated concurrently with said piano motor, 5

0. radio receiver means for receiving signals from said radiotransmitter,

d. a screen for the reception of an image of at least a portion of thelyrics of a musical composition, e. projector means for projecting animage onto said screen of the lyrics of a musical composition beingplayed by said player piano,

f. control circuit means activated by said radio receiver means forcontrolling said projector means,

g. counting means in said control circuit means for counting the numberof musical compositions that have been played, said counting meanscomprising: 1. selector switch means manually positionable to establishthe maximum count of musical compositions to be played before saidprojector means is reset and deenergized,

2. and stepping relay means capable of advancing toward the manually setposition of said selector switch means each time a coin is accepted bysaid coin controlled mechanism.

2. The combination as defined in claim I wherein said control circuitmeans includes limit switch means carried by said projector means fordeenergizing said projector means.

3. Thecombination as defined in claim 1 wherein said control circuitmeans includes means to change the direction of travel of said projectormeans.

4. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said control circuitmeans includes a first time delay means for the initiation of a cycle ofsaid projector means to ensure an adequate amount of time for theprojection of the next image onto said screen.

5. The combination as defined in claim 4 wherein 7 said control circuitmeans includes a second time delay means and a holding circuit which isenergized to permit resetting of said projector means.

6. The combination as defined in claim 5 wherein 20 said projector meansincludes a projector lamp which is energized during the actuation ofsaid projector means with electrical power to said lamp beinginterrupted during the time said holding circuit is energized.

1. In combination with a player piano for playing a plurality of musical compositions which are played consecutively, said player piano having piano controls and a piano motor, the apparatus comprising: a. a coin controlled mechanism for actuating the piano controls and the piano motor at the beginning of each musical composition, b. a radio transmitter activated concurrently with said piano motor, c. radio receiver means for receiving signals from said radio transmitter, d. a screen for the reception of an image of at least a portion of the lyrics of a musical composition, e. projector means for projecting an image onto said screen of the lyrics of a musical composition being played by said player piano, f. control circuit means activated by said radio receiver means for controlling said projector means, g. counting means in said control circuit means for counting the number of musical compositions that have been played, said counting means comprising:
 1. selector switch means manually positionable to establish the maximum count of musical compositions to be played before said projector means is reset and deenergized,
 2. and stepping relay means capable of advancing toward the manually set position of said selector switch means each time a coin is accepted by said coin controlled mechanism.
 2. and stepping relay means capable of advancing toward the manually set position of said selector switch means each time a coin is accepted by said coin controlled mechanism.
 2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said control circuit means includes limit switch means carried by said projector means for deenergizing said projector means.
 3. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said control circuit means includes means to change the direction of travel of said projector means.
 4. The combinaTion as defined in claim 1 wherein said control circuit means includes a first time delay means for the initiation of a cycle of said projector means to ensure an adequate amount of time for the projection of the next image onto said screen.
 5. The combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said control circuit means includes a second time delay means and a holding circuit which is energized to permit resetting of said projector means.
 6. The combination as defined in claim 5 wherein said projector means includes a projector lamp which is energized during the actuation of said projector means with electrical power to said lamp being interrupted during the time said holding circuit is energized. 